sending a message of hope to all the many millions of refugees around the globe. you had to flee from your homes because of violence, hunger or just because you were different. now, with your greatest talent and human spirit, you are making a great contribution to society. in this olympic world, we do not just tolerate diversity. in this olympic world, we welcome you as an enrichment to our unity in diversity. [ cheers and applause ]

there are millions of people around the world who contribute in different ways to make our world a better place through sport. to honor such outstanding personalities who put sport at the service of humanity, the international olympic committee has created a unique distinction which we award for the first time now. ladies and gentlemen, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the fields of education, culture, development, and peace through sport, in the true olympic spirit, the olympic laurel is awarded to the great

olympic champion, and great olympic philanthropist. i am an olympian gold medalist and olympic recordholder. it is a home of athletes. when i was young, 8 years old, i used to run all way from my home to school. so i was really training without knowing. ♪ ♪

my dad is the only one who would take care of me. so after my running, what i did, i started the children home with my wife. taking care of orphan kids to give them shelter and education. having a children's home, we started a school. high school. and also the training center. and through sports, we can produce peaceful life in this world. ♪ ♪ >> hello. good afternoon. >> education is a weapon. it doesn't cause any

destruction, instead it can create peace. ♪ ♪ we came into the world with nothing, we will leave this world with nothing. all we need is peace, love and unity. ♪ ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, kip keino!

[ applause ] ♪ ♪ [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪ [ cheers and applause ]

>> now, let us celebrate altogether. olympic games, a la brazil. [ speaking portuguese ] [ cheers and applause ]

the fireworks lighting the night sky. the opening ceremony now, more formal protocol section. we are waiting for the arrival of the olympic flag, the olympic flame. >> lighting of the caldron. >> ladies and gentlemen, the olympic flag. always a beautiful moment at any olympic opening ceremony. eight prominent people from the host country having a chance to carry the olympic flag into the stadium.

this is emanuel rego, beach volleyball, three medals including gold. in five straight olympics starting in 1996. rosa celia pimentel. doctor and activist. offering no cost treatment for kids with health disease. >> sandra pires. beach volleyball player. won gold in olympic beach volleyball competition in 1996. also won the bronze medal in 2000. sandra pires. this is torbin greille, sailor,

five medals. golds in 1996. and in 2004. joaquim cruz, next, track star. won 800 meter gold in l.a. 800 meter silver in seoul. the brazil flagbearer in the 1996 atlanta games. next is marta silva played soccer. pele once called her "pele with a skirt." player of the year. an olympic silver medalist. all time leading scorer in women's world cup.

ellen gracie northeilles. first woman that went to the brazil supreme court. first female president of the brazil's supreme court. that rousing round of applause is for the basketball player, all-time leading scorer in olympic basketball history. let's listen. oscar schmidt. he was inducted into the basketball hall of fame in 2013. ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the olympic anthem.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ olympic flag immortal spirit ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> local choir singing the olympic anthem. we are back with a samba party from rio after this. [ piano playing throughout ]

♪ everything is awesome ♪ everything is cool when you're watching a screen ♪ ♪ everything is awesome, ♪ when you're sharing a meme ♪

♪ the interwebs, fails on springs, ♪ ♪ just to name two awesome things ♪ ♪ a voice remote, "show me angry kings" ♪ ♪ you know what's awesome? everything! ♪ ♪ apps that please, more selfies, ♪ ♪ endless hours of the best tvs ♪ ♪ brand new apps, shows to go, ♪ ♪ awesome internet that's super whoa... ♪ ♪ shows, bros, foes - they're awesome ♪ ♪ games, flames, and waynes - they're awesome ♪ ♪ everything you watch or send or share is awesome... ♪ ♪ everything is awesome ♪ everything is cool when you're dancing in jeans ♪ ♪ everything is awesome ♪ when you're watching a screen... ♪ xfinity. ♪ everything is awesome the future of awesome. back in rio, who is ready for a party? >> i am. >> i am. >> if you have never been to carnival here, you are about to

get a very good sample of what the energy is like. ♪ ♪ [ speaking portuguese ] >> this is a rio-born percussionist, 80 years old. >> dejuan lucas, dancing samba since he could walk, he was "born in samba" the expression that brazilians use. did i say i am in love.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ >> all of these people you see marching in, samba dancing, they're from samba school. meredith is busy googling where she can buy the outfit. they actually compete every carnival. but tonight they're not competing with each other. they're just having a good time. i love the costumes. ♪ ♪ >> this is anitta, 23-year-old pop singer from rio.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> like people that are bold enough to give it a go. ♪ ♪ >> we have to tell you a couple nights ago, meredith told hoda and me she actually went to youtube and looked up samba videos so she could learn the samba. to be honest, nothing she showed us resembles what is going on on the floor right now. >> that is so unfair. i just couldn't go as fast as they can. besides, it is all in the way

you think about it. all in the mind. in my mind i am just doing really well. >> anitta, caetano veloso, and gilberto gil, with the samba here in rio. >> ladies and gentlemen, the olympic flame. here comes the olympic flame now into this stadium. after a relay that has lasted for a very long time. it would seem for the brazilian

people. visited 500 towns. all state capitals of brazil. 12,000 torch bearers have brought it to this final point. the man carrying the torch, gustavo kuerten, tennis star, three time french open champ, ranked number one. he is entering the stadium right now. >> the olympic flame is being carried by --

gustavo kuerten, two time champion, former number one in the world. gustavo kuerten! [ cheers and applause ] >> now, he passes the torch to one of the greatest female brazilian basketball players of all time.

♪ ♪ and she hands the flame to this man, vanderlei de lima, former marathoner, 46-year-old. remember athens in 2004, he was leading the olympic marathon when a spectator attacked him. he went from first to third. he received an incredible sportsmanship award. but tonight, he gets something better. tonight, he gets to light the olympic caldron in his home country.

[ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> there must be 20,000 portable phone cameras capturing this inside this stadium right now. smaller caldron than we have

seen in the past, reflected beautifully in the mirrored chandelier almost behind it. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

so the caldron has been lit. the first full day of competition tomorrow. want to tell you to stay tuned for the emmy nominated tonight show with jimmy fall on, jerry seinfeld, seth rogan. for meredith vieira and hoda kotb, i'm matt lauer. we have had a blast in rio, the games are under way after an opening ceremony to remember. good night, everybody. ♪ ♪ magical moments in rio...

the controversy and scandal took a back to seat to the culture and spirit of the brazilians. team u-s-a made a grand entrance magical moments in rio. the controversy and scandal took a back seat to culture and spirit of the brazilians. team usa making a grand entrance, and smaller nations making a grand impact. the olympics officially under way after a spectacular show watched by billions. >> good evening and good morning. thanks for joining us here on nbc bay area. i'm raj mathai. >> and i'm janelle wang. quite a show in rio tonight. the opening ceremony is over.

but the olympic cauldron burns bright and will continue to do so for the next 17 days. a live look at the flame right now. it's 4:30 in the morn, saturday morning in rio. >> plenty of events will begin in just a few hours. tonight we have team coverage from the bay area to brazil. let's start in the olympic city with our own jessica aguirre. jessica? >> reporter: raj and a janelle, brazil promised grand. the start of the opening ceremony to tell the story of its rich and colorful history. and then it used the finale to show off its personality with the full-blown carnival. fireworks, flare, favelas, and more. an opening ceremony that shouted rio. ♪ tonight brazil jump-starts south america's first summer olympics. first showcasing the history of the country and its current culture, arts and beauty.

more than 10,000 athletes will compete in these games tonight, many of them walking into maracana stadium with a smile, including the americans. michael phelps leading the 554 athletes from the u.s. into a warm reception. >> being my fifth olympics, it's an honor and really a dream come true. >> reporter: more than 200 nations in all, and then the brazilians walked in. [ cheering ] a proud moment for the country and the world as the rio olympics begin. so many great moments. but now the ceremony is over, and the action all moves here to olympic park and the other venues. right out of the gate, lots of bay area athletes competing. in the pool we have stanford's maya dorado and cal's dana vollmer. marti malloy will be competing in judo. we also have the men's basketball usa team. they'll be competing. and of course that means we'll

see draymond green, klay thompson, and kevin durant. we will be here as well following all the action to make sure we bring you all the highlights and let you know what is happening next. >> nice to see you on this saturday morning. we're going to hear a lot about the olympic spirit throughout the month. the man who lit the cauldron is a shining example. wanderl wanderlei. that irish spectator tackled him, took him right to the sidelines there. after a brief scuffle, delima fell back in that race and won the bronze medal. if you couldn't be in the stadium, partying in downtown rio was the next big thing. thousands of people gathering for that open air party as they watched on a big screen. now this is one of the rare times the people across the world can unite, peaceful and happy, carrying flags and wearing jerseys of their favorite nation.

american tourists were soaking it all. in. >> it feels amazing. honestly, i love being in rio. i love being in brazil. i love this country. i love it here. the energy is amazing. >> get ready for a lot of amazing. we now begin 17 straight nights of amazing. >> and there was a party in san francisco tonight that included olympians about to head to rio and olympians that have retired. they came together to share the magic of the opening ceremony. nbc bay area's jean elle is live in san francisco with more, and jean, they have so many stories to share. >> they do, janelle. every olympian has a journey to share. tonight bay area olympians came together to share stories and to watch what many call the most powerful moment of the games. >> usa! usa! >> reporter: olympians and paralympians gathered at players in san francisco to watch the opening ceremony. >> i did the pentathlon, track and field events. >> this will be my fifth olympic games. >> reporter: sharing memories and games. >> the try athlon it's going to

be my first time in the olympic games. i'm so proud to be part of the first addition of it. and hopefully will make history. >> reporter: each athlete has a story and a goal. terrific reception the united states is getting here. >> but tonight is about team usa. olympians say walking into an opening ceremony is a gold medal moment. >> you can envision yourself competing. you can envision yourself, you know, going against an opponent, winning a medal. but you never envision yourselve walking out with all the best athletes in the country. and to a large stadium. >> reporter: a tradition that kicks off two weeks of global competition and unity. >> i know for me from my first time in the olympic village, munich in '72, people from every country, race and religion. and we have respect and curiosity, and we lived in peace. i think we can create a global olympic village. >> reporter: jean elle, nbc bay area news. >> the warriors tweeted this pictures tonight of the team's all star trio during the opening ceremony there